I subscribe to an e-mail. edition of Midwifery Today. This was the question of the week.

Q: What do you think is the primary fact that causes women to fear, or not trust, birth?
— Anonymous

A: Fear mongering from the press and medical establishment.

Lack of options. Difficulty connecting with natural birth support networks.

Nine essential elements to achieving the birth you desire:

1.A deep conviction in your ability to birth
2.At least one person who shares this conviction to support you through the entire journey
3.Birthing with practitioners who are committed to birth rights, compassionate and normal birth and mother baby-friendly standards of practice
4.Taking responsibility for your physical and psychological well-being and preparing yourself
5.Avoiding birth conversations with people who don't share your conviction
6.An ability to sort through or tune out all the conflicting and fear-based information and advice which bombards pregnant women
7.An ability to say NO
8.An ability to explore the unconventional
9.Patience
— Birth Indiawww.birthindia.org

A: In lots of discussion with friends and patients, I think it comes down to two main things: we have always been taught that someone knows our bodies better than we do (we abdicate choice) and that pain is BAD! In most cases, pain is a sign that something is wrong, your body is trying to tell you that you need help in some way. Whereas in birth, this is turned upside down, pain is good! It lets you know where the baby is and what stage you are at, whether the pain is uterine contractions or the cervix opening, and we can use that pain to guide us rather than being afraid of it. So the pain in this instance is a good pain of stretching and opening and allowing.
— Maryellen, Chiropractor